Assistant/Associate/Full Professor in Embodied, Wearable and Assistive Physical AI at Northeastern University – United States

Summary

Northeastern University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is seeking candidates for full-time faculty positions at the Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor levels in Boston, Massachusetts. The successful candidate will build an independent, externally funded research programme in embodied, wearable, physical, and assistive AI while teaching undergraduate and graduate courses, mentoring researchers, and collaborating across Northeastern’s global ecosystem. Applicants must hold a PhD or foreign equivalent in a relevant discipline by the start date. Associate and Full Professor roles require four and eight years of experience, respectively. Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis without a strict deadline date specified. Salary ranges from $118,000 to $251,000 per year depending on rank and experience.

Key Facts

Department	Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Position Type	Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor
Discipline	Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, or Physics
Research Area	Physical AI, embodied AI, wearable AI, and assistive AI
Degree Required	PhD or foreign equivalent
Experience	At least four years of academic or equivalent experience for Associate Professor; at least eight years for Full Professor.
Salary	Assistant Professor: $118,000–$137,000 per year; Associate Professor: $126,000–$168,000 per year; Full Professor: $150,000–$251,000 per year
Required Documents	Cover letter, including any interest in a joint appointment, Full curriculum vitae with publication list, Research statement of no more than five pages, Teaching statement of one page, Leadership statement of one page, Names and contact details of at least three professional referees
Employer Address	Boston, Massachusetts

About the Project

The role focuses on interdisciplinary research areas including physical AI, embodied AI, wearable AI, assistive AI, human-centric trustworthy AI, computer vision, multimodal sensing, edge AI, neuro-symbolic reasoning, and human-robot collaboration for applications in healthcare, rehabilitation, and telemedicine.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead an independent, externally funded research programme.
• Teach undergraduate and graduate courses.
• Mentor students and researchers.
• Participate in departmental, college, and university service.
• Collaborate across Northeastern’s global research ecosystem.
• Contribute to the Physical AI Research Initiative and Institute for Experiential Robotics.
• Support global student populations and inclusive learning environments.
• Develop interdisciplinary and translational research partnerships.

Required Skills

• Established or emerging research record in physical AI, embodied AI, wearable AI, or related subfields.
• Demonstrated ability to establish an externally funded research programme.
• Ability to teach undergraduate and graduate courses.

Who Should Apply

Researchers and academics in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, or closely related fields who specialize in artificial intelligence, physical/embodied AI, or robotics, and who hold a PhD by their employment start date.

Benefits

• Healthcare
• Retirement
• Tuition assistance
• Paid time off
• Wellness benefits

About the Employer

Northeastern University is an academic institution hosting the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering within its College of Engineering, featuring initiatives like the Physical AI Research Initiative and Institute for Experiential Robotics.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is this position located?

The position is located at Northeastern University's Boston campus in Massachusetts.

What degree is required to apply?

A PhD or foreign equivalent in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, or a closely related field is required by the employment start date.

What are the experience requirements for senior roles?

Associate Professor candidates require at least four years of academic or equivalent professional experience, while Full Professor candidates require at least eight years.

What is the salary range for this job?

The annual salary ranges are $118,000–$137,000 for Assistant Professor, $126,000–$168,000 for Associate Professor, and $150,000–$251,000 for Full Professor.

What is the application deadline?

There is no specific closing date; applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.